Edward weston



(No Model.)

B. WESTON.

ELECTRIC CURRENT INDIGATOR.

Patented Apr. 20. 1886.

IEIIIIII WITNESSES,

[N VEN T OR. 7 flat/M W ZR A T T ORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrce.

EDWARD W'ESTON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR'TO THE UNITED STATES ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,403,6lated April 20, 1886, ilpplication filed January 14, 1886. Serial No. 188,555. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: central part of the disk with one of the circuit- Be it known that I, EDWARD WEs'roN, a terminals. A number of sockets, G, are subjectoftheQueen ofGreatBritain,andaresiformed in the periphery, and provided with dent of Newark, in the county of Essex and binding-screws e, which are for receiving the State of New Jersey, have invented certain ends of branches of the other circuit-terminew and useful Improvements in Ourrent-Innal. Currents passing over the circuit will dicators, of which the following is a specifitherefore enter the disk near its center and cation, reference being had to the drawings pass out through the several branches, or conaccompanyingand formingapart of the same. Versely. It will be of course practically im- IO The object of my invention is to secure a possible to obtain an even distribution of the 6: cheap, simple, and effective device for indicurrent to the several branches; but for all cating current changes in circuits carrying practical purposes this is not required. currents of great strength or volume. Many Through the central hub is a perforation, and instrumentshavebeendevised forthispurpose; through this is passed a magnetic bar combut nearly all are objectionable on account posed of three straight sections-two parallel of their complicated character. The greatlyends, N S, joined by a short rightangled secincreased demand for such instruments and tion, M. The bar is mounted by pivotingthe immense number now required in use renscrewsff, with the part M at right angles to der it extremely important to produce an inthe plane of the disk, with the ends N S lying 2o strument atalow cost, and which,while of the close to the opposite faces of the disk. One simplest possible mechanical construction, of the ends, N, carries a pointer, T, that is shall yet be accurate and sensitive as an amcaused to sweep over agraduated scale, L, by pore-meter or current-indicator. To this endI the movement of the bar. have devised an apparatus which in the main If the instrument be connected in circuit in 25 consists of a disk of good conducting metal, the manner described, so that currents will with which appliances are connected for com-. pass through the disk from center to periphpleting the circuit through it from the center cry, or conversely, a movement is imparted to to several points at or near its edge. Through the bar in consequence of the tendency which the center of the disk is a perforation, and a it has of assuming a position at right angles 0 magnetic bar is mounted close to the disk, to the direction of the current, audit assumes 0 with its two ends on the opposite faces of the a position dependent upon the strength of same, and the cross-piece which is at right current. Any variation in current strength angles'to the ends passing through the peris attended by a change in the position of the foration. One end of the bar carries a bar.

35 pointer, which sweeps over agraduated scale, The instrument may be placed with the bar and the whole isinclosed in a cast-iron box, to in the magnetic meridian, or so that the bar prevent outside magnetic influences from afmay move in a vertical plane, and in this case fecting the movement of position of the bar. if the said plane does not correspond with the The specific character of this device and meridian the bar maybe weighted sufficiently 0 its mode of operation will be described by to neutralize the directive tendency of terres- 9 reference to the accompanying drawings. trial magnetism.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument. The particular construction of this device is Fig. 2 is a central cross-section of the same, well adapted to securing the greatest simplicand Fig. 3 is aplan view of the under side of ity in'the means for mounting themagnetic 4 5 the disk. bar, for making the necessary adjustments, and A is a cast-iron box, in which the instrusecuring the maximum effect of the current ment is placed on an insulating-block, B. upon the bar. The latter may and should be Cis a copper disk, having a central hub, D, placed very close to the disk, and as evenly and a heavy peripheral flange, 'E. balanced as possible.

50 A binding-screw, F, serves to connect the What I claim is- I I00 1. In a cnrrent-indicator, the combination, with a conducting-disk with electrical connections for passing a current from its center to periphery, or conversely, of a magnetic bar passing through and pivoted at the center of the disk, and bent so that its ends lie close to I ends lie close to the opposite faces of the disk,

and a scale for indicating changes in the position of the bar, as herein described.

3. The combination, with a current-indicator composed of a conducting-disk having means for passing a current through it from center to periphery, or conversely, and a pivoted magnetic bar passing through the center of the disk, and bent or formed so that its polar ends lie close to the opposite faces of the disk, of an iron box inclosing the said indicat' ing mechanism for protecting the same from external magnetic influences, as set forth.

v EDWARD WESTON.

W itnesses:

HENRY A. BECKMEYER, RICHARD WM. BLOEMEKE. 

